KALIKOT, DEc 29: Rara lake has seen a surge in visitors as 6,200 tourists explored this destination in the last five months.
According to Rara National Park, 6,075 domestic tourists, 26 tourists from SAARC countries and 99 foreign tourists have visited Rara in five months from mid-July to mid-December.
Rara National Park Office Information Officer Jaihari Dhital said that 6,200 tourists visited Rara within five months. He said that the number of tourists is increasing in Rara this year. According to the park, more domestic tourists came to Rara during Dashain-Tihar holidays. According to the office, about Rs 1.8 million in revenue has been collected from tourists within five months.
Over 15,000 visited Rara Lake in a year
Comparatively, last year saw fewer tourists due to the impact of the pandemic, with a total of 11,000 domestic tourists, 26 from SAARC countries, and 183 international tourists. This year, a positive growth trend is expected to continue.
The park office collects entrance fees at the rate of Rs 100 per person from domestic tourists visiting Rara, Rs 1500 per person from tourists from SAARC countries and Rs 3000 per person from other foreign tourists. Likewise, 75 percent of tourists visit Rara by air and 25 percent by road.
Tourism professionals complain that there is still no significant increase in tourist arrivals in Rara due to the lack of reliable roads and air routes. On the other hand, there is a lack of proper accommodation for tourists in the Rara area.
Tourists traveling to Rara are facing issues because of unreliable roads and limited hotel options. Despite the cold season, there's been a rise in tourist visits. The ongoing improvements to the Karnali highway are also causing inconvenience.
In recent times, there has been an uptick in visits to Rara despite the winter chill. Even amidst the snowfall, there is a steady stream of tourists drawn to the area for leisure and enjoyment.
